1 week later:
I rolled over, pulling Lauren closer and smiled.
I kissed her cheek, nuzzling my nose into it as I shut my eyes.
Sleep. I just want sleep.
I had woken up cold, but problem solved.
I heard her mumbling and I lifted my head up, raising an eyebrow.
"Laur? Are you awake?" I asked.
"Let go." She muttered, her brows knitted together and I slowly started to slide my hand off her waist. "Dad, stop!"
I froze, then sat up and frowned.
She wasn't awake. She was having a nightmare.
And she was crying...
"Lauren, Lauren wake up."
"Hmm?" She said and sat up. "I was having a nightmare wasn't I?"
"I think so."
"I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you about that."
"It's alright." I said, tucking back her hair.
"It's embarrassing."
"Don't be embarrassed. It's alright." I smiled at her, kissing her forehead. "What happened?"
"It was just the thing with Dad. I get nightmares sometimes. They come and go."
"I'm sorry."
"It's ok. They're not real."
"Are they bad?"
"Sometimes they can be. Mom has woken me up because I was screaming before. I should have told you this earlier."
"No, it's alright."
"I haven't had them in a while."
"Everybody has nightmares though Laur."
"I know, just not like that. Sometimes it's when I was little and he'd hurt me. It's not even a made up thing, it's memories."
"I'm sorry."
I took her hand, wiping her cheeks and left my hand there, moving my thumb slowly.
"I'm ok. Thank you."
"Mhm, I love you."
"I love you too."
"You're going to rock that concert tomorrow. Smile."
She smiled up at me, her forehead resting against mine.
"Look at that. You're smiling." I smiled back, then gave her a short kiss. "I love your smile."
"I love yours too."
We laughed together and I kissed her again.
"Let's go back to sleep. You have a long day tomorrow."
"Yeah, I know." She sighed. "But we only have two weeks left till the TCA's."
"It still feels like forever." I mumbled, pulling her closer by her waist after we laid back down and hugged her to me.
"It does, but think about it this way, we have two more weeks of privacey."
"I guess, but I hate lying."
YOU ARE READING
